1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of compact discs, and pertains more particularly to an article of manufacture comprising a compact disc and convertible enclosure therefore, the enclosure being convertible from a display or merchandising mode to a storage mode.
2. The Prior Art
The compact disc, as is well know, is becoming a progressively more popular medium for the replication of music in the home. The compact disc comprises a thin polymeric circular member of approximately 43/4" (12 centimeters) in diameter and having a central aperture adapted to be received on the spindle or centering mechanism of a disc player. The compact disc incorporates on a surface thereof digitally encoded information which is adapted to be laser read by the disc player. It is possible to incorporate an hour or more of music on a single compact disc, and it is generally agreed that the quality of musical reproduction of the disc equals or exceeds the quality of music obtainable with the finest of conventional long playing records.
At present compact discs are costly to manufacture and accordingly sell at retail prices in the range of from about $14.00 to $20.00 Dollars per disc.
Initially, compact discs were marketed in rigid plastic containers, the overall dimensions of which only slightly exceeded the size of the disc. Unfortunately, due to the relatively small size of the container, and perhaps also to the relatively high price of compact discs, a high incidence of pilferage was encountered, since the container could easily be slipped into the pocket of a shoplifter. As a result, discs were stored under lock and key, and a prospective purchaser was required to request access to a given disc in order to review the printed information on the disc packaging.
More recently, in order to render the disc container less susceptible to theft while permitting access of prospective purchasers without the attention of supervisory store personnel, the polymeric rigid container for the disc has been bonded or otherwise affixed to a cardboard panel of approximately twice the size of the disc container. The cardboard panel has been provided with an aperture enabling the panel to be suspended on a dispensing rack.
The sole purpose of employing an enlarged cardboard panel in connection with disc packaging heretofore employed was to render the composite article sufficiently large as to minimize the possibility of a thief secreting the package in a pocket.
After purchase of discs packaged in the manner hereinabove set forth, the cardboard support panel is discarded and the disc stored in its polymeric "jewel box" container. The polymeric containers, while effective to prevent warpage of the discs, are relatively costly and added significantly to the purchase price of the finished article. In addition, it is possible to separate the plastic container from the enlarged panel and pocket the container, increasing the possibility of theft.